What is the purpose of using a buffer in local anesthetic solutions?

The use of a buffer in local anesthetic solutions is primarily aimed at enhancing patient comfort by reducing pain upon injection. When local anesthetics are formulated, they often have a low pH, making them more acidic. This acidity can contribute to a stinging or burning sensation when the anesthetic is injected. By adding a buffer, the pH of the solution is adjusted closer to the physiological pH, making it less irritating to surrounding tissues and improving the overall comfort of the patient during the injection process.

While buffers can affect other aspects such as the solubility of the anesthetic or potentially the onset time, their main contribution in this context is to minimize discomfort, thereby improving the patient's experience.